Oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) fish species and Oceanic whitetip shark information

Scientific Name
Carcharhinus longimanus

Common Name
Oceanic whitetip shark

Biology
An oceanic deep-water species which sometimes comes close to shore (Ref. 244). Found surface to depths of at least 150 m (Ref. 26938). Epipelagic usually over water depths of >184 meters (Ref. 58302). Frequently accompanied by Remora, Coryphaena, pilot fishes (Ref. 30573), and tortoises. Feeds oceanic bony fishes, also threadfins, stingrays, sea turtles, sea birds, gastropods, squid, crustaceans, mammalian carrion and garbage (Ref. 5578), including tuna and mahimahi (Ref. 1602, 37816). Viviparous (Ref. 50449). There is pronounced partial segregation by size and sex in some areas. This is an active, almost fearless shark also charged in human attacks (Ref. 244). Probably responsible for many open-ocean attacks after air or sea disasters (Ref. 6871). Utilized fresh, frozen (Ref. 9987), smoked, and dried-salted for human consumption; hides for leather, fins

Classification

Classified By

Poey, 1861

Class

Sharks and Rays (Elasmobranchii)

Order

Ground sharks (Carcharhiniformes)

Family

Requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae)

Distribution

Region

Cosmopolitan (Ref. 26340). Western Atlantic

Distribution

Cosmopolitan (Ref. 26340). Western Atlantic: Maine, USA to Argentina; also in Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean (Ref. 26938). Eastern Atlantic: Portugal to Gulf of Guinea; possibly occurring in the Mediterranean. Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahiti and Tuamoto islands. Eastern Pacific: southern California, USA to Peru, including the Galapagos. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea (Ref. 26139).

Range

46°N - 43°S, 180°W - 180°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

18 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

230 m

Zone

pelagic-oceanic

Environment

Marine; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 230 m (Ref. 58302), usually 0 - 152 m (Ref. 55185)

Trophic Level

4.16 s.e. 0.55 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

396 cm

Common Length

270 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (75 of 100)

Resilience

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (K=0.1(?); tm=5; tmax=22; Fec=1)

Threat To Humans

Traumatogenic (Ref. 244)

IUCN Red List Status

Vulnerable (VU) (A2ad+3d+4ad)

Oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) fish species and information / pictures of Oceanic whitetip shark - Carcharhinus longimanus

Oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) fish species information

Classification

Distribution

Environment

Physical Size and Genetics

Human Uses and Population